Washing-liquid clarifier and purifier



Oct. 9, 1928. 1387,2325

F E BOWERS WASHING LIQUID CLARIFIER AID PURIFIER Filed June 24, 1 926 INVENTOR:

ATTORNEY.

III

9 i H. 6 x I... $3 H l a l l2 0| a flu w 1 7 i 22% Z w d gj IV 2422 Patented Oct. 9,1928. 1

PATENT. OFFICE.

raaux n B'owEas, or mnmnnoms, INDIANA.

wasnme uevm GLARIFIER AND rumrmnh Application med June 24, 1926. Serial No. 118,343.

This invention relates to apparatus for reclaiming washing-liquid and especially for clarifying and purifying naphtha or other cleansing compositions generally used for cleansing fabrics or garments, especially by the dry cleaning system, the invention having reference more particularly to safety apparatus for clarifying and purifying the washlngliquid so as to be in condition for re-use.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved clarifier and purifier which shall be of such construction as to be simple and compact and adapted to be manufactured at small cost. and simply operated.

Another object is to provide apparatus of the above-mentioned character which shall be of improved structure and arrangement and adapted to be readily connected with washers and extractors in dry cleaning plants.

A further object is to provide improved apparatus for clarifying and purifying used naphtha for re-use inexpensively and safely, which apparatus shall be so constructed as to be highly efiicient, durable and economical in use.

\Vith the above-mentioned and other objccts in view, the invention consists in apparatus comprising substantially a circulatory system for the used washing-liquid in wh ch is combined means for separating foreign matter from the washing-liquid, a serles of chambers in which the foreign matter remaining may separate and settle, one of the chambers being a relatively low tank or reservolr, washing and drying chambers havlng connection with the tank or reservoir, for finally purifying and drying washing-liquid so as to obtain dry or water-free liquid to be conducted to the cleansing machines; and the invention consists also further in the parts and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings,-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved apparatus,

the tank or reservoir comprised therein being partially in section; Fig. 2 is-a top plan of the unitary structure having various chambers therein, minus the cover or lid part thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation approximately on the line IIIIII on Fig. 2, portions being on difierent vertical planes; Fig. 4 is a vertical section approximately on the line IV-IV on Fig. 2;and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section approximately on the line V-V on Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters in the various figures of the drawings indicate corresponding elements or features of construction herein referred to in detail.

- In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a floor which may be and preferably is close to the ground, and 2 indicates atank or reservo1r which preferably is underground as a measure of safety, being adapted to be filled wlth clarified washing-liquid.

The apparatus includes a suitable supporting frame or stand 3 having an inclined top.

connected to the bottom and the other walls,

a cover 10 being removably connected to the vertical walls. At a suitable distance from the back wall a partition 11 is secured to the side walls 8 and!) and extends from the cover downward nearly to the bottom 7. The structure has also a floor 12 in clined similarly to the bottom 7 and secured to the side walls and also to the front wall and the partition, the lower ortion of the partition below the floor constituting a bafile plate, other bafile plates 11 being arranged etween the partition and the front wall and connected to the side walls and also to the floor 12 from which they extend downward nearly to the'bottom 7. A vertical partition 13 is secured upon the floor 12 and to the front wall 5 and the partition 11 at a suitable distance from the side walls, preferably relatively closer to one side wall than to the other. The battle plates have suitably arranged apertures 14 and 14' therein to cause the washing-liquid to follow a long and circuitous course through a caustic soda solution or other suitable liquid to be mainly clarified thereby. A screen 15 is arranged fixedly in the purifying and dryin, chamber a suitable distance from the floor 12 and supports a matting or a quantity of fibrous packing 16, such as cotton waste, for removing any water that may be present in the washing-liquid. A conducting pipe 17 is arranged in the upper portion of the partition 11 to receive washing-liquid from the chamber which is formed between the back wall. (5 and the partition 11 and con ducting it through the partition and into the chamber forward of the partition and on one side of the partition 13, a pipe 18 being connected to the pipe 17 and extending downward towards the floor 12. A branch pipe 19 is connected with the lower pipe 18 and extends adjacent to the partition 11 and nearly to the side wall 9, a relatively right angled branch pipe 20 being connected also with the pipe 18 and extending towards the front wall 5, each of the branch pipes having a series of small perforations 21 therein through which to discharge the washing-liquid in an agitated state permitting separation of foreign matter therefrom to be collected upon the floor 12.

The used and dirty washing-liquid is suitably forced into the filtering-chamber through a vertical pipe 22 having its lower end connected therewith below the lower portion of the floor 12, the washing-liquid first assin throu h a vertical )i e 23 havin its P s a P upper end connected with the upper enil of the pipe 22. Preferably a stand pipe 24- is connected with the top of the pipe 22 to con-' stitute an air-cushion chamber preferably having a small vent hole 25 in its top. The

washingdiquid requiring treatment may be forced into the pipe 23 by a suitable pump which may be connected with a storage tank, thus minimizing fire hazard. Or, the washing-liquid may be otherwise caused to flow into the pipe 23. p

A conducting pipe 26 is connected with the washing chamber at a suitable level higher than the floor 12 and is connected with the tank 2 in which the pipe preferably extends to the lower portion of the tank, so that flow is induced by the force of gravity. A conducting pipe 27 is connected with the upper portion of the tank 2 and also with the lower portion of'the drying-chamber, slightly above the floor 12, this point being considerably lower than the upper end of the pipe 26. A

conducting pipe 28 is connected with the drying-chan'iber at a distance above the matting 16 to supply the washing machine with purified washing-liquid.

A valve 29 has a shank 29 connected with the washing-chamber to test the level of the water therein, and a valve 30 is connected by means of its shank 30' with the filteringchamber to test the level of the caustic solution therein. An 0ver-flow pipe 31 is connected with the washing-chamber near the top thereof to carry off surplus washing-liquid and also scum that may rise in the washingchamber, and the pipe 31 should preferably be connected with a separate reservoir for used washing-liquid. Preferably a drain pipe 32 having a stop-cock 33 is connected with the valve 29 and the pipe 31, another drain pipe with a drain valve 38 and the lower portionof the filtering-chamber is provided with' a drain valve 39.

- In practical use, before beginning operations the cover 10 is lifted from place and caustic solution is poured into the filteringchamber through the settling-chamber until the solution rises approximately as high as the upper portion of the floor 12 and can flow out through the valve 30, after which the valve is closed. Water is poured into the water-wash chamber in which the conducting pipe 18 and its branches are arranged until the water can flow out the test valve 29, after which the valve is closed. The previously used washing-liquid is fed to the apparatus through the goose-neck piping and flows into the filtering-chamber and slowly to-and-fro between and through the baflle plates and consequently through the caustic solution which causes separation of the foreign matter from the less heavy portions of the solvent liquid, the foreign matter descending to the bottom 7, resulting in the washing-liquid becoming clarified to aconsiderable extent and, slowly rising through the settling-chamber becomes further clarified and passes through the pipes 17 and 18 and thence. out of the branches into the water through which-the liquid rises into the space above the water, the water retaining foreign matter which may have beencarriedalong with the washing-liquid and finally precipitated onto the floor 12. The washed solvent rises to the level of the top of the pipe 26 and flows through by force of gravity into the tank 2, the tank becoming filled if not already full. The clarified liquid flows up through the pipe 27 because ofthe higher and heavier column in the pipe 26 and flows into thedrying-chamber below the fibrous substance 16 and thence upward in a dry state or free from water that may have been carried with it, and flows out through the pipe 28 for re-use. In case the level of the clarified liquid rises unnecessarily high in the washing-chamber the surplus flows out through the pipe 31. At the end of each days operations all the compartments and conducting pipes'may readily be drained so that llt) ber, a drying-chamber provided with drylng means, a conduit connected with the waterwash chamber and the tank, and a conduit connected with the tank and the dryingchamber.

2. A washing-liquid clarifier and purifier including a filtering-chamber and a settlingchamber, a water-wash chamber and a drying-chamber arranged side-by-side above the filtering-chamber and forward of the settling-chamber and having each an inclined floor, a screen arranged in the drying-chamber above the floor, a fibrous matting upon the screen, and means to agitate liquid in the water-wash chamber.

3. A washing-liquid clarificr and purifier having progressively a filtering-chamber, 'a settling-chamber, a water-wash chamber, a tank arranged lower than the water-wash chamber, a pipe connected with the waterwash'chamber and the tank, a drying-chamber having a drying means therein, a pipe connected with the tank and the dryingchamber below the drying means, and an out let pipe connected with the drying-chamber above the drying means.

4. A washing-liquid clarifier and purifier having a circulatory channel consisting of a filtering-chamber, a settling-chamber a water-wash chamber connected with the upper portion of the settling-chamber, a drying-chamber having drying means therein, a channel to conduct the washing-liquid from the water-wash chamber to the drying-chamber below the drying means, a supply pipe connected with the filtering-chamber, and an outlet conduit connected with the dryingchamber above the drying means.

5. A washing-liquid c'larifier and purifier having a water-wash chamber and a drying chamber having each an inclined floor, the drying-chamber being provided with a reticulate support horizontally partitioning the drying-c amber above the inclined floor and having a fibrous matting thereon, a conduit having connection with the water-wash chamber and provided in the latter with agitating means, and a conduit having connection with the water-wash chamber and also with'the drying-chamber below the reticulate support.

6. In aclarifier and purifier, the combination of a reservoir, 3. water-wash chamber and a drying-chamber arranged together on a level higher than the reservoir, a conductingpipe connected with the upper portion of the reservoir and the lower portion of the drying-chamber, and a conducting pipe connected with the reservoir and also with the waterwash chamber at a. point higher than the lower portion of the drying-chamber.

7. In a clarifier and purifier, the combination of a unitary structure having therein a filtering-chamber, a water-wash chamber and a drying-chamber arranged together above the filtering-chamber, a settling-chamber arranged behind the said water-wash chamber and said drying-chamber and connected with said filtering-chamber, a conducting pipe connected with the upper portion of said settling-chamber and extending into the lower portion of said water-wash chamber, the end of said pipe having perforated branches, and

a dryer arranged in the lower portion of said drying-chamber.

8. In a clarifier and purifier, the combination of a filtering-chamber and a settlingchamber connected therewith, a water-wash chamber and a drying-chamber arranged above the filtering-chamber and forward of the settling-chamber, baflie-plates arranged in the filtering-chamber, a conducting-pipe connected with the upper portion of the settling-chamber and the lower portion of the water-wash chamber, fibrous drying means arran ed in the drying-chamber and horizonta ly partitioning the same, a conducting conduit including a reservoir and having connection with the water-wash chamber at a higher level than said drying means and also connected with the drying-chamber below said drying means, an inflow pipe'connected with the filtering-chamber, an outflow pipe connected with the' drying-chamber above said drying means, and an overflow pipe connected with the water-wash chamber higher than the conducting conduit and outflow pipe connections.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature on the 17th day of June, 1926.

FRANK E. BOWERS. 

